What's left from the fire
by xxx-angelin-xxx
Summary: Getting back together was a lapse of judgment from both their parts; it was a mistake- yet the best mistake he's ever made. He loves her. But is love enough? RoseScorpius- sequel to "Why we're here not there"


**What's left from the fire **

_Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy just weren't meant to be and, once upon a time, they knew that too. _

_They met in Hogwarts and hated each other at once. But, as expected, in their seventh year things changed. It wasn't just hate anymore. It turned out to passion. They started dating in secret. Stolen kisses in hallways and empty classrooms. Soon, they realized it wasn't just lust but something much more. Yet no one said anything, no one complained or asked for more._

_His family was trying to rebuild their name. Hers was one of the most famous and powerful wizard families in the UK. So they let it go. They came from different backgrounds, they wanted different things. They understood they couldn't make it without letting their families down. And they- especially Rose- couldn't stand that._

_And then, years after school they met again, only to realize that they still had feelings for each other. Tired and disappointed form life they decided to start over. This time they would do things right for them. _

_His family was excited; Lucius Malfoy had realized that in order to survive in this new world he had to let go of his old beliefs. Her family didn't say much. It wasn't necessary after all- she could read their eyes. Surprise and disapproval. But they would get over it. _

"What's left from the fire, Rosie?" His question sounds like one of the riddles the Ravenclaw's eagle puts in Hogwarts. Rose Weasley wasn't a Ravenclaw but that's a simple riddle for her.

"Ashes."

"That's what we are."

A big 'why?' appears in her eyes. His statement was unexpected, unwanted and it's difficult for her to understand it. Her pain is obvious but all he does is sighing.

"Once we loved each other. Passionately. And we will do anything for each other. But we were cowards and gave up. Now… now we are just trying to prove ourselves capable of doing what we want."

"You don't believe that, Scorp, do you?"

Her tone breaks his heart but he won't let it go this time; they have to talk.

"I do," he insists.

"No, you don't: you called me Rosie." She doesn't smirk as he expected her to. She just looks at him hurt and confused making him curse himself mentally. He never calls her Rosie. Only when he lies at her and she knows him too well not to notice.

So he chooses to go for the truth.

"You know what my grandfather said when I told him about me and you?"

She shakes her head negatively.

"Congratulations." He laughs bitterly. "He congratulated me for dating you, a Weasley. What better way to restore the family name?"

She doesn't understand what he's telling her. She doesn't want to. It doesn't matter to her; nothing matters to her when he's away. Maybe he gets the worst of her, as some not-so-beloved cousins told her. But she doesn't care; she's happy - happier than she has been for a long time.

"I love you," she mutters- trying to stop him from whatever he wants to say, knowing it will probably ruin them forever.

He laughs under his breath. It's odd; that's the first time she actually tells him what just a few days ago he would die to listen. But at this moment, there's nothing he wanted to hear less than that three dreadful words.

"What if I'm using you?" he challenges.

"I don't care. I waited too much for this to care."

"Rose…" he tries to reason her.

She shakes her head once again, like she tries to push away the thought of him using him to serve his family's best interests. It's the first time _he_ brings that up. But her parents warned her before.

"_You know how the Malfoys are trying really hard to gain a place in the society?"_

_She nodded, curious to see her father's point._

_"Did it ever occur to you that if Scorpius becomes a part of our family- in anyway, Rose- his family will find the place they craved for?"_

_"No."_

_"You have to think about it, Rosie," her mother added seriously._

_She was fighting tears back; tears caused by thoughts and realizations._

_"He wouldn't," she whispered._

_"Wouldn't he?" asked her father._

No, she knows him. He knows her. He would never use her like that. Not even Scorpius Malfoy is such a person.

"You wouldn't do it," she tells him calmly.

That's the first time he wishes she didn't know him that well. And at the same time he's grateful for her trust in him; for a devastating amount of days he believed she might get the impression of him not loving her. He's happy, relieved yet he knows that there are others that believe he's just using her.

"Your family hates me. They don't approve."

She snorts. "Like they ever approved of anything I did."

"You will hate me; I'm making choose between me and your family. One day…"

"I won't," she interrupts.

"Really?"

Truth is that, although she's really different than everyone else in her family, they are close. But that's the reason she knows they'll get over it. All the things he's been telling her start to look awfully like excuses to her. Lame excuses to get rid of her. And in front of this thought, all the trust she has for him goes away.

"Do you love me, Scorp?"

_Of course, I do. What kind of silly question is that?_

Instead of expressing his thoughts he doesn't say anything. She knows the answer but saying it won't make things any easier for them.

"You never told me, you know."

His look is surprised, angry, accusing. The night they decided to give their relationship another shot, almost two years ago… he told her then. He remembers it clearly because she didn't answer.

"You said 'I loved you'. Past tense," she reminds him.

He closes his eyes. "Don't make me do that."

"What's _that_? I have no idea what the hell you're doing all this time!" she exclaims angrily.

He's just trying to save her. She will get over him one day. She will have the life she deserves and her family will be proud for her. He's no good for her. And he loves her too much to destroy her life, even if letting her go means being miserable for the rest of his life.

Getting back together was a lapse of judgment from both their parts; it was a mistake- yet the best mistake he's ever made. He loves her. But is love enough?

"Do you want me to leave, Scorp?" she asks, eyes full of tears.

He says nothing, just stares at the floor and sighs.

"I do love you, you know," he finally says.

That makes her cry. He didn't expect her to cry. He didn't want her to cry. Especially after what he has just told her.

"Rose…" he mutters moving closer, kneeling in front of her.

"Make a favor," she says. "Forget them. Forget them all. For once in your life. Just… think of what you want."

"I want you to be happy."

"But don't you see that you make me miserable like this?" she tells him between tears.

"I'm sorry, Rose, I just…"

"Don't apologize."

Her hand caresses his face, and he closes his eyes, finally surrendering. He smiles and she smiles back as he sits next to her and kisses her eyes softly, taking the tears away.

"What's left from the fire, Scorp?" she's the one asking this time.

He chuckles, his face hidden in her hair.

"I wasn't a Ravenclaw, Rose."

"Neither was I," she retorts.

He looks up, smiling playfully.

"Ashes?" he tries.

"And what can you do with ashes?"

_Cover the fire, the pain, the fear._

"Start over."

* * *

_And then she says that nothing can go wrong_

_When you are in love, what can go wrong?_

* * *

Happy Birthday, **RoseScor90**! I wish you all the best:) Hope you enjoyed the story!

Written as a sequel to "_This is the way we love_" and "_Why we're here not there_", but it can be read separately.

Beta read by **Daughterof Hermes130**.


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